The Christmas and New Year period is the biggest opportunity of the year for leisure venues — a time when families, friends, and corporate groups are looking for fun, memorable experiences together. But with every attraction running festive promotions, how do you make yours stand out?
Here’s a full guide packed with marketing ideas, activity inspiration, and emerging trends to help your venue turn December into a record-breaking month for both footfall and revenue.
Start Early and Build Anticipation
Your festive campaign should launch by early November. Start teasing special events, offers, and experiences across social media, your website, and email.
💡 Ideas:
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Countdown to Christmas Calendar: Reveal one daily deal or activity (e.g., “Kids play free Tuesdays”, “Double points Fridays”).
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Early-Bird Bookings: Offer discounts for party bookings made before a set date.
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VIP Previews: Host an exclusive event to launch your Christmas setup and invite loyal customers, influencers, or local press.
Early engagement builds excitement — and locks in revenue before competitors get there.
Festive Themed Experiences
Go beyond decorations — give your guests an experience they can’t get anywhere else.
🎄 Examples:
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“Santa’s Showdown” Laser Tag or “Snowball Missions” for winter fun.
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Christmas Mini Golf Glow Nights – twinkling lights, festive music, and themed challenges.
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VR Christmas Adventures – virtual snow worlds or Santa sleigh missions.
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Family Christmas Party Packages – include food, drinks, and photo ops with Santa or characters.
Make every attraction feel like part of the holiday season — and promote it with short, festive video clips on social media.
Corporate Party Packages That Wow
Corporate groups are always on the lookout for fun, interactive Christmas party venues that feel fresh.
🎁 Offer:
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Private hire nights with exclusive food and drink options.
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Custom team challenges (Laser Quest tournaments, escape races, arcade leader boards).
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Add-ons: festive cocktails, photo booths, prize giveaways.
Promote packages directly to HR departments and corporate networks via LinkedIn Ads or local business newsletters.
Social Media Campaigns That Sparkle
Make your social channels come alive with seasonal content and interactive campaigns.
🌟 Ideas:
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12 Days of Giveaways: Partner with local businesses to give daily prizes.
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Best Festive Selfie Contest: Encourage guests to tag your venue in their holiday photos.
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Behind-the-Scenes Content: Show your team decorating, rehearsing, or prepping for the season — it humanises your brand.
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UGC Reposts: Feature real customers enjoying their Christmas visits to build authenticity and excitement.
Influencer & Creator Collaborations
Invite local influencers to experience your Christmas events and share them online. Provide them with branded hashtags, festive props, and a unique photo backdrop.
Influencers help you reach families, teens, or young adults — depending on who you want to attract.
Holiday Upsells and Loyalty Perks
Guests are more willing to spend over the festive period. Use this to your advantage.
💷 Upsell Ideas:
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Add festive-themed drinks or snacks.
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Offer a “Christmas Combo” ticket with bonus credits or experiences.
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Include optional merchandise (Santa hats, glow sticks, branded gifts).
🎁 Loyalty Rewards:
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Offer double points on visits between Boxing Day and New Year.
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Send personalised emails to members with “exclusive festive rewards”.
Boxing Day & New Year Offers
After Christmas Day, attention shifts to “what’s next?” — perfect timing for your Boxing Day and New Year campaigns.
🎉 Ideas:
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Boxing Day Blowout: Flash sale on January bookings.
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New Year New Adventure: Launch new attractions or memberships in early January.
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Family “Back to Fun” Days: Offer multi-attraction deals to beat the post-Christmas slump.
It’s all about keeping the momentum going into the new year.
Community & Charity Involvement
Christmas is also a season for giving. Aligning your brand with community or charitable initiatives adds emotional value and boosts reputation.
💚 Examples:
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Donate a percentage of proceeds from a specific event to a local charity.
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Run a “Toys for Kids” drop-off point in your venue.
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Invite local schools for discounted Christmas activity days.
This type of initiative builds goodwill and can be amplified on social media and in local press.
New Year’s Eve Events
Cap off the season with a New Year celebration night.
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Late-night sessions or extended opening hours.
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“Countdown Quests” or midnight laser battles.
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DJ sets, live entertainment, or family-friendly mocktail bars.
Make it fun, affordable, and memorable — something people want to make a yearly tradition.
Analyse and Plan Ahead
After the holidays, review your results:
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Which offers performed best?
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What content drove the most engagement?
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Which days/times delivered the most bookings?
Use these insights to plan your next year’s festive campaign even stronger — start early, invest where it works, and evolve each season.
Final Thoughts
Christmas and New Year marketing is about creativity, connection, and community. By mixing themed experiences, clever promotions, and heartfelt storytelling, your venue can capture the joy (and business) of the festive season.
It’s not just about one busy month — it’s about creating memories that make people want to come back all year round.
